My name is Ana Tattersall Cocke. In my role as the director for the Baptist Health System stroke services and as an Advanced Practice Nurse I have a committed interest in caring and educating our patients on stroke. I hope you will find this stroke blog useful and informative. Feel free to send me a comment via this blog.

I often educate my patients on the following topics:


Blood Supply and Lack of Blood Supply to the Brain

© 2008 Nucleus Medical Art, Inc


The most common stroke symptoms include:

  • Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
  • Blurry, dimming, or no vision
  • Difficulty swallowing, talking, or comprehending others
  • Dizziness, falling, or loss of balance
  • Severe or unusual headache

Call for emergency medical help immediately. Brain tissue dies quickly when deprived of oxygen, but there is a brief window of opportunity to reverse some of the damage.

Treatment of Ischemic (blocked artery) Stroke
When blood clots lodge in the brain arteries, doctors can use a medication called Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) to dissolve them. It is important to note that intravenous tPA cannot be given to people who come into the emergency room more than three hours after the onset of stroke symptoms because it can increase the risk of bleeding inside the brain. As a result, Baptist Health System Emergency Department affliated doctors and neurologists follow a rigorous protocol to make sure stroke patients in San Antonio will have the best outcome when treated with tPA. 

Treatment of Hemorrhagic (bleeding) Stroke
Poorly controlled hypertension is the most common cause of bleeding strokes because hypertension injures the small artery walls in the brain. Other sources for bleeding in the brain can include trauma to the head, certain medications or cancer. Often times, these patient need surgery.

Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are temporary clots that block an artery in the brain or neck. The person presents with stroke symptoms but they resolve within minutes. This is “warning sign” of impending stroke that should not be ignored. TIA requires immediate medical attention. 

Ana Tattersall Cocke Clinical Nurse Specialist, APRN
Recognizing Stroke